Just about the time that we are all getting excited to go out and buy a new crop of Spring trends, the chilly winter weather is rearing it’s blustery head. And after being out on location for the last two days on photo shoots, I for one am ready for a nice warm front to move in again. Of course, we are so much more fortunate than the rest of the country who have to deal with ice, sleet and snow…how lucky we are!
And even though I am not one to swing a gold club very often..if ever, I have spent many hours on the course for photo shoots over the years sometimes at the crack of dawn on frosty mornings when the wind chill is less than balmy. So if you are heading out to the Waste Management Phoenix Open over the next few days instead of sporting the usual garb this year looking fabulous might require a few more elements.
I am not sure why we think that donning a heavy coat means that we can’t look chic and sexy, there are plenty of outerwear options that look amazing. Just yesterday morning I ran into a model that I know and she looked absolutely stunning in an off white wool trench similar to this one by Diane Von Furstenburg from shopbop.com, paired with an off white knit scarf and skinny pants. Her mid- heel boots rounded out the outfit perfectly. She could have literally stepped off the Burberry runway that is how incredible she looked. So how do you channel your inner Ali McGraw or your inner Burberry girl Emma Watson at an event like this ?
Forget about wearing a dress, you want to keep warm from head to toe otherwise you are going to focus more on how cold you are and miss out on all the fun around you. Wool or leather pants like these below from Helmut Lang are definitely warmer than cotton, so if you have them build your outfit around them. If you have only jeans, jeggins or cotton pants wear a thick cotton or silk cashmere pair of tights underneath to act as a barrier to the cold. My favorites are the velvet tights by Wolford
For tops layer, layer, and layer again, anything that is a wool, cashmere blend will be soft and will keep you warm underneath your sweater. Lycra and cotton are definitely not as warm but if that is your only option, start with a fitted tank, then layer a fitted tee, then a knit sweater. The key to layering is fitted layers, you don’t want bulky layers and you don’t want to end up looking like the Michelin man! I love the Patagonia and Lands End silk under layers they have saved me a zillion times even when I was on a photo shoot in the snow for three days.
If you don’t already have one get a decent pashmina or a wool scarf there are so many ways to wrap them and they always look chic. And with a pashmina you can wrap it around the inside or on the outside of your coat and still look pulled together.
Even though everyone wants to wear their cute heels there is nothing quite like the feeling of frozen toes to dampen a good time. I recall wearing a really amazing pair of open toed suede heels to a concert one time, only to find out that the show was outside not inside in December… it took three days for the tingling in my feet to return to normal… don’t risk it. Wear your boots… and whether they are ankle, calf or knee length be sure to wear socks… the thicker the better!
